Ken Moore wrote:
In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Haven't you ever had to explain to people why Tubas (which are Bb instruments) are named with 2 Bs (BBb) yet trumpets are named with 1 B (Bb) and why it appears there is only one octave between them, as normally printed yet there are really 2 octaves and trumpets should be printed bb instead of Bb? Which is easier to say: "double-b-flat" or "b-flat-1?" Yes, "e-flat-2" may be harder than "capital-e-flat" but nobody every says "capital-e-flat," they just say "e-flat" so the proper Helmholtz nomenclature doesn't make its way into speech anymore than the midi nomenclature does when labeling instruments.
I was very puzzled by the idea of a double B flat tuba (which is only 4/3 the length of an Eb tuba) until the thought struck me that the single Bb tuba was the tenor tuba or euphonium. I never confirmed that that was the origin of the name, however.
[snip]
I've often heard people refer to the "bass tuba" instead of the "BBb tuba" which puzzled me until I learned there was a "tenor tuba" that we normally call the euphonium.
And in speaking with musicians most of the time I refer to octaves relative to either middle C or their placement on the clef, as you mention, not using either pitch labeling system.
So I refer to "A above middle C" rather than A4 or a' or "A, second-space treble clef" much as I suspect you do.
But both the Helholtz and the C4 system are for identifying pitches and are only secondarily used for instrument names.
-- David H. Bailey [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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